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PES secretaries general meet in Lisbon to discuss shared challenges

30/11/2017

Secretaries general, campaign managers and senior organisers from Europe's progressive parties met today in advance of the annual PES Council in Lisbon, to analyse political developments in their own countries and discuss close cooperation in the coming months.

Participants from 15 member parties of the Party of European Socialists were joined by representatives from allied organisations, plus guests from the Icelandic party Samfylkingin and the Socialist Group in the Nordic Council. The meeting was co-hosted by PS Portugal.

At the top of the agenda were upcoming elections in many European countries, including Italy, Sweden, Hungary and Latvia. Attendees discussed recent electoral challenges and voter engagement, with detailed presentations analysing the political landscape in the UK, the Netherlands, France and Iceland.

There was also a special focus on fighting fake news and populism, in the light of adverse political developments in Catalonia and Hungary. Representatives from PSOE Spain and MSZP Hungary advised on their own experiences.

Finally, participants also discussed the outlook for European elections in 2019 and the process for choosing a common candidate for President of the European Commission.

PES secretary general Achim Post, chairing the meeting, said:

"The focus of the 2017 PES Council is renewing Europe in a progressive direction. That renewal can only be possible when our parties work closely together — which is why these networking meetings are one of the most important parts of the work of the PES.

"I am especially grateful to PS Portugal for co-hosting our meeting alongside the Council in Lisbon, which opens tomorrow."

In attendance at the meeting were:

PES

Achim Post, Secretary General

Marije Laffeber, Deputy Secretary General

Yonnec Polet, Deputy Secretary General

Giacomo Filibeck, Deputy Secretary General

PS Portugal

Hugo Pires, National Secretary for Organisation

Francisco André, International Secretary

BSP Bulgaria

Kiril Dobrev, Deputy Chairman of the BSP

Deniza Slateva, Deputy Chairwoman for European Affairs and International Relations